1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a combined surgical needle-suture device and more particularly to a drilled needle-suture device in which a suture, in the form of a looped thread, is attached to the needle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years, surgeons have employed needle-suture combinations in which a suture or ligature is attached to the shank end of a needle. Such needle-suture combinations are provided for a wide variety of monofilament and multifilament braided suture materials, both absorbable and non-absorbable, e.g., catgut, silk, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, linen, cotton, and absorbable synthetic materials such as polymers and copolymers of glycolic and lactic acids.
Needle-suture combinations generally fall into three classes: eyed, with no suture attached; drilled end, i.e. with an aperture bored down the long axis of the needle and a suture secured in the bore; and channeled, i.e. with a U-shaped recess or channel with an end of the suture secured in the channel. Examples of drilled and channeled needles are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,740, while eyed needles are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,960,117 and 4,182,341. The last mentioned '341 patent incorporates a relatively short loop of polymer strand to form the eye of the needle.
More recently, it has become increasingly desirable to reduce the time required to suture a wound or opening and to tie the suture satisfactorily. While threading the suture has become improved somewhat, the last mentioned objective of quickly tieing the suture has not been significantly improved. The present invention incorporates a looped suture into a surgical needle to facilitate quick knotting and tieing as needed during critical surgical procedures.